New Red Hook Little League Management to Coach Baseball and Education

A baseball field in Red Hook with the New York Grain Terminal in the background.
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Flickr/Timothy Vogel

RED HOOK — Red Hook’s youth baseball league is back this year, and its new management team plans to coach kids to succeed in the classroom, as well as on the ballfield.

SAYO Grays (Student Athlete Youth Organization) is a multicultural baseball nonprofit based in Sunset Park that will take over Red Hook’s Little League from the spring season onward, organizers said.

Boys and girls ages 6 to 12 are welcome to register for the league, which will play at the Lorraine Street ballfields near Bay and Henry Streets.

SAYO’s goal is to bring education into baseball by preparing kids for high school and encouraging them to start thinking about college.

“I want to start planting college in their minds when they’re 6 years old,” said Ian Younge, president of the organization.

Not every child can be a professional baseball player, Younge noted, and he wants education and the future to be on their minds.

“You’re never too young,” he said

According to the nonprofit’s website, its plan is to create “a group of educated athletes that will be productive members of society as well as role models in their communities.”

The organization focuses on the fundamentals of baseball while also providing academic support to students. Though the educational programs will depend on the number of children who register for the Little League, Younge plans to include educational trips and tutoring sessions.

Younge is hoping to host 75 to 100 children, and no prior baseball experience is needed to join the league.

“We just need them to come down and get prepared to have some fun,” he said.

The pre-season practice will begin April 5, and the spring season kicks off April 26 and includes a $10 fee. The league will continue through the summer if there is a demand for it, organizers said.

The league will also include two hours of volunteer service at Red Hook Park, where kids will help maintain the green space and keep it clean.

To sign up, participants should bring a copy of the child’s birth certificate to the Red Hook Community Justice Center, located at 88 Visitation Place. The deadline to register is March 31.

For more information about the league, contact Luz Gonzalez at 718-923-8203 or lugonzal@courts.state.ny.us.

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